"Azdaha...." Morax's eyes were looking in shock as his friend, the one he sealed when he lost against the Erosion and threatened to destroy the Harbor.
"Morax" despite Morax's expectations, Azdaha's voice didn't carry any kind of ill will or malice.
It was a serene voice that made Morax remember the good time he spent with his friend, thousands of years ago.
Morax had sealed Azdaha centuries ago as the Erosion was making him hate humans and consequently the Harbor. He had his reasons for hating them, but Morax couldn't let his friend destroy the Harbor they both had fought to build.
Such was the fearsomeness of the curse placed upon this world named Erosion, so bearing the pain of both of them, Morax had to seal him, knowing that there was nothing he could do to help his now deranged friend.
But there was something he needed to know.
"How are you here?" he asked, the duel all but forgotten.
"Our common friend sensed me in my seal" Azdaha revealed, and Morax could feel the serenity his voice carried, which only meant one thing. "Yes, he restored my soul from the damage I received from the Erosion".
"I already knew I would battle you to make you resign from your position as Morax" confessed Kenshin, looking comically small beside the huge stone dragon. "Not that farce you did giving the Gnosis, as we both know you wouldn't give up your position as the protector of Liyue. I want you to genuinely forget the name Morax, but I didn't know if I would be able to make you accept it. So I recruited help, someone who believes the same I do".
"Indeed" Azdaha's deep voice made the Plane tremble. "The Erosion I was suffering from is finally over, and now it's your time to rest, my friend".
"...." Morax looked at his 2 friends with narrowed eyes. "Force me then. Show me that the Geo Archon is not needed anymore".
"Of course, that's our duty as your friends" Kenshin smiled and got on top of Azdaha.
Morax quickly jumped into the air again, but Kenshin solidified the floor to avoid getting even more hurt.
The good news, the Plane was brimming with energy.
"I'm too hurt" Kenshin revealed to Azdaha. "I can try to hinder him, but everything will depend on you".
"That's enough" Azdaha said in a confident voice. "Nothing can defeat the Stone".
Because that's what Azdaha was, a Stone that had been buried underground for an untold amount of millennia, far more than what Morax had been walking the world.
Morax sensed his plea and granted Azdaha what he desired so much, a body to walk under the light crafted of the most exquisite rocks.
Azdaha's battle might be similar to Morax's but orientated to another area.
Azdaha's resilience was second to none. He was able to absorb elements and grow stronger with them, his body made of the densest of rocks granted him an unmeasurable resistance and he didn't tire for as long as earth was beneath him.
So while he couldn't lay to waste entire plains like Morax could, nothing could kill him, not even Morax.
Morax, realizing that the battle ahead was going to be the hardest since the Archon war, quickly called for another meteorite, the same one Kenshin had so much trouble destroying.
"Morax, I thought you knew" Azdaha's body started shining. "I can absorb energy".
And Morax's eyes widened in surprise.
Because Azdaha was shining with a purple light.
"HAAAAAAA!" with a roar, a beam made of pure purple and golden light rushed to the sky, making the meteorite break in contact with an explosion so loud that Kenshin felt his eardrums burst.
Kenshin needed time to create a construct made of the soul energy his Plane gave him, but Azdaha was able to release it in an extremely concentrated beam.
"I can't manipulate this energy" Azdaha explained sensing Morax's alarm. "But if someone gives it to me, that's another story."
Kenshin and Azdaha looked at Morax, who was floating in the air, and the challenge was sent.
Neither Azdaha nor Kenshin would be able to defeat the oldest Archon by themselves, but together they will fight for his freedom.
"...." Morax looked at the 2 people fighting against him and slowly nodded accepting the challenge. "So be it".
Azdaha opened his mouth, and Morax had to dodge to avoid the purple beam rushing to him.
When he looked to Azdaha again, another purple beam grazed his cheek, drawing blood from the Geo Archon for the first time in millennia. Morax's shield, as strong as it was, wasn't able to completely block the extremely powerful purple energy, which had been further concentrated by Azdaha.
Kenshin closed his eyes trusting Azdaha, and ordered all the energy of the Plane to enter the body of his companion in this fight.
Instantly, Azdaha's whole body grew purple, even his tail, and all the spikes in his body started trembling.
Morax knew what was coming, after fighting for decades next to the dragon, he knew all his tricks just like Azdaha knew his.
The shield protecting Morax thickened to 10 times its normal width, trying to protect him from the incoming barrage.
As he expected, the same purple beam that his shield hadn't been able to stop in its entirety was shot from every purple stake in Azdaha's body.
More than 20 beams collided with Morax's shield at the same time as the Stone made all beams concentrate in a single point.
The result was revealed when Morax chose to stand on the ground with singed clothes and his eyes showing perplexity after his shield wasn't able to stop the barrage.
And yet, his body didn't show a single wound.
"Fight with everything you have Morax" Azdaha spoke, his body already shining purple. "We can't make you resign if you are not convinced of your loss".
"Indeed" Morax twirled his spear in one hand.
*BANG!*
With a sharp sound, the butt of Morax's spear collided with the ground, making a spiderweb appear in the ground with the sheer force of the impact.
"Get ready" Azdaha warned Kenshin.
"I know" Kenshin nodded.
Morax had no way of beating them in a long-range battle, Kenshin's seemingly infinite energy and Azdaha's firepower were too strong for Morax's constructs.
Morax's cold eyes were focused on Kenshin, who he knew was the weakest link, and he lunged, instantly disappearing from his position.
Azdaha tried to cover Kenshin, but Morax's attack was a feint.
*CLANG!*
Morax's spear collided with Azdaha with such force that the humongous dragon was sent flying, Kenshin still in his back.
*BOOOOM*
Kenshin grimaced when the enormous body of Azdaha collided with the ground, making the floor under him shatter.
An unhurt Azdaha stood up calmly and looked at Morax, who disappeared again.
Morax's shield was his biggest strength, and his constructs his spear against the enemies.
But when nothing worked, something admittedly extremely rare, he had his trusted spear.
Even if Morax wasn't as strong with a weapon as Ei was, there was no doubt that he was still extremely strong.
"Let's do it now, I can't take many more hits" Kenshin whispered, trying to not show his precarious state to Morax.
And Azdaha started sinking into the ground with Kenshin's help to avoid damaging him more.
Morax saw this and instantly attacked again. Letting the Stone that was Azdaha bury himself was admitting defeat.
But Azdaha was already underground, the last part of him, his tail, disappearing into the ground.
Morax felt the ground rumbling and quickly jumped to the right after detecting the direction the tremors were coming from.
"AARGH!" Morax screamed in pain when Azdaha impacted him from behind with his horn painfully hitting his back.
Kenshin had manipulated the ground to make Morax identify the wrong direction, and Azdaha took advantage of that. Azdaha was not even swimming in the ground anymore, the ground made way for him under Kenshin's instructions boosting his speed and strength, as the ground was even pushing him.
And if something could destroy Morax's geo shields, it was the Stone with his unparalleled raw strength, way superior to Morax's.
Twisting in the air, Morax lunged to attack Kenshin.
Who was nowhere to be found.
A hundred meters into the ground, Kenshin stood with his eyes closed, using his Plane to detect everything happening on the surface.
Morax's eyes narrowed when he understood their strategy, and couldn't help but admit that it was a good plan.
So flying into the air to avoid Azdaha's extremely dangerous tackles, he prepared another meteor to hit Kenshin, wherever he was.
And yet, Azdaha came out of the ground with his whole body glowing purple. Another barrage Morax couldn't dodge sent him to the ground, still looking fine.
Azdaha was simply not able to beat Morax, as the God had too much mobility for such a slow being that was the Stone, and Azdaha's beams, normally of other elements, were not able to pierce the extremely resistant shield Morax used, not to say he couldn't absorb energy that quickly.
But with Kenshin involved, everything changed.
Kenshin was able to give Azdaha control over the purple and golden energy, which was so strong even Morax's shield wasn't able to completely negate it, and made the energy swarm around Azdaha so the Stone could absorb it faster.
As a result, the extremely powerful cannon Azdaha was, had an infinite supply of the best kind of ammunition.
A lethal combination that even Morax was struggling against.
Morax realized that Kenshin was able to give Azdaha energy even from wherever he was, so he still couldn't get too far from Azdaha, or he would be assaulted by those barrages of purple and golden energy that so much pain was causing him.
When he stood on the ground, Azdaha slowly came up in front of him.
"Morax" Azdaha's calm voice sounded, not exhausted by the fight, unlike Morax's slightly tired expression. "Give everything you have, spend all your energy, vent all your feelings. That is also a part of giving up being the Geo Archon".
Morax stood silent, realizing that this was the final stage of the battle. He had already lost as he couldn't face Azdaha without his constructs, and he needed some time and distance to use.
But Azdaha would just destroy them with Kenshin's energy, so he only had his shield and spear to fight.
Azdaha's monstrous strength would break his shield sooner or later, and he wouldn't be able to damage Azdaha's body with a metal spear. That was one of the reasons he had to seal him, his inability to harm him, mentally and physically he wasn't able to.
"Morax" Kenshin slowly came up, the ground giving way to him. "The moment we teamed up, you had already lost. We don't want only to make you resign, we want to make you accept it, so fight all you want, knowing that this will be your last fight as the Geo Archon".
Morax looked at the 2 beings that teamed up only to free him and slowly nodded.
"Then Morax" Kenshin said, sinking into the ground. "I hope this is the last time I need to call you that".
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Morax, or using his true name Rex Lapis, was an old existence.
Not only physically, but also mentally. Being 6000+ years old was enough to make absolutely everyone feel tired.
Because tired was the word that described Morax perfectly.
The war, his dead friends, the constant alert state against threats to Liyue, the inevitable passage of time.... were things that no being could take forever, and even his memories had been slowly disappearing for centuries now.
While it was true that Guizhong's existence and now his child were the happiest moments in his life, his whole being was too tired. Because of the Erosion and the simple accumulation of memories and experiences.
But now, 2 friends made him admit defeat, he wasn't the Geo Archon anymore.
He didn't have the Gnosis anymore, and the combined might of Azdaha and Kenshin had forced him to admit defeat.
But he still had something left, some dedication to the name of the Archon he carried, some energy to spend, and some regrets for all the people who died to make him the Archon and protector of Liyue.
And it was all of these things that Kenshin and Azdaha had told him to use to their fullest so that when his inevitable defeat approached, he could step down without any regrets.
*CLANG*
His spear collided with the head of Azdaha, but just as he expected, he was the only one being blown away.
It was expected, Azdaha's body was the indestructible rock no one could break.
And yet, he attacked again, as he still had something left inside of him.
*CLANG*
And he was sent back again, but he still had something left.
*CLANG*
*CLANG*
*CLANG*
The more time it passed the better Morax felt.
He couldn't feel the pain, but he felt his existence getting lighter, almost as if with every hit a bit of this energy he still had was getting depleted, making him taste the freedom that leaving the Archon title behind would grant him.
*CLANG*
The remaining grass swayed violently with the sheer force of the impact between Morax's spear and Azdaha, with Morax being sent back a few dozen of meters.
*CLANG*
Another hit, another wave of air, and Morax was sent back. A mere 10 meters now.
*CLANG*
Yet another hit and Morax only was blown away 5 meters.
*CLANG*
*CLANG*
*CLANG*
Now with every clash between Morax and Azdaha, nobody retreated, and they often entered into a stalemate.
*CLANG*
*CLANG*
Azdaha was slightly sent back.
Morax didn't notice this, he was too focused on spending all he had, all for this last fight that he knew was going to lose.
*CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG*
No matter how far Azdaha was sent back, he still stood up without any kind of wound. That was his might, the unbreakable Stone of Liyue, and friend to Rex Lapis.
Because the one Azdaha considered his first and only true friend was the one who gave him a body to walk under the sun, Rex Lapis.
He considered Morax, the Archon, a friend and a companion. But it was the determined man who wanted to build a peaceful Harbor, Rex Lapis, the one he wanted to recover now.
*CLANG**CLANG**CLANG**CLANG*
Morax started panting, but there was still fire in his eyes.
And Azdaha complied, charging again against the God in front of him who didn't even think of dodging.
Why should he?
He was trying to vent all his feelings and clear his regrets, what would dodging do?
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*CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG* *CLANG*
After an inordinate amount of time, Morax was now heavily panting, but his slitted eyes still shone with determination.
*CLANG**CLANG**CLANG*
*CRACK!!!*
In a certain clash, finally after hundreds or even thousands of clashes, the spear Morax had been using since the Archon War, broke.
The bladed part fell to the ground with a *thud*, making Morax look at it in disbelief.
"..." Morax looked at the part in the floor, and later at what he had in his hand.
And then, the light in his eyes that represented the will of an Archon disappeared.
Only relief was left behind.
Kenshin came up and stood beside Azdaha.
"Are you convinced now?" asked calmly Kenshin.
".....yes" Mor- Rex Lapis said.
"Then go home with your family" Kenshin added, and retreated his Plane.
Now the 3 beings were in the Sea of Spears and felt the cool breeze of the night.
"Go home Rex Lapis" repeated Kenshin. "I healed your Erosion during the fight, so you can give your family not the jaded being Morax was, but the determined and dedicated Rex Lapis"
"From today onwards, Morax is no more" Azdaha said with his deep voice expressing happiness.
"...." Rex Lapis looked at his 2 friends and nodded.
A single jump took him near the Harbor.
He slowly walked through the empty streets of the town he was going to live in.
Not as the founder and protector, but as a citizen.
Every house he saw gave him a different feeling than what he felt a day ago. Where he saw the house of a people who needed protection, he now saw the house of a neighbour.
The food stalls that brought him nostalgia and melancholy were now noted in his mind as places he would take his child to.
The antique shop he usually visited to see if things from his era remained was now only a place for him to find something his house could be adorned with.
A refreshing look in his life, one that he welcomed.
Before long, he was looking at the door of his house, the one his family was in.
And realizing that he didn't need to be the Archon any more, and that he was able to focus on his family now brought him joy, so much that he wondered if he was still able to cry.
*Knock Knock*
And he knocked, because it was the first time he was going to enter this place as Rex Lapis.
"Wh- what happened!?" Guizhong looked in horror at the disastrous state her husband was in, but looking at his face, she felt tears come out.
Because the owner of the face with a soft look in it wasn't Morax, but the soft-spoken man she had fallen in love with.
Without Erosion, without the burden of the Archon seat and with a family by his side, Rex Lapis was once again the man willing to live at his fullest.
"I'm back" said Rex Lapis with a wide smile.
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Unbeknownst to anyone, the presence of the strongest users of Geo Element battling in Kenshin's world was bound to make some changes.
Under the soft soil that gave life to the grass swaying in the breeze, the ground solidified as Kenshin's Plane used the dispersed Geo energy of the fight.
Now, a bed of almost indestructible rock of brown and golden colour, the same kind of rock Morax's meteorite was made of, awaited under the surface, ready to called.